This Week in Comics #1: Batman, Captain Marvel, Copra, Immolation

Shame on everyone who quits right around the time they get their driver’s license for missing out on a world of intricate storylines, complicated character composition, and emotional depth. In his seminal work Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud describes the genre as “juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence…” or, “Sequential Art.” Well, whatever kind of art you call it, we find it just as close to the bleeding edge of creativity as painting, sculpture, cinema, and the rest.

In an effort to keep up with all the medium has to offer, from independent publishers to the majors, The Creators Project proudly welcomes you to the first edition of This Week in Comics.

Written by Scott Snyder, pencils by Greg Capullo, ink by Danny Miki, colors by Francisco Perez.

Everyone thinks Bruce Wayne died (gasp!) with the Joker (double gasp!) a few years back, so the mantle of Batman is held by Commissioner Gordon. With this wildly striking cover by Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, and Francisco Perez, issue #48 revolves around a new villain named Mr. Bloom. Mr. Bloom is a giant plant-creature whose seeds are churning up the bodies in Gotham. As he snatches Commissioner Gordon in his titan grasp, Bruce has to decide if it’s finally time to come out of hiding. The artwork in this issue is unsettling, with Mr. Bloom portrayed as a garden variety “Slenderman,” and the writing (though monologue-heavy) does a good job of asking hard questions about equality among citizens.

Written by Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, art by Kris Anka, colors by Matthew Wilson

Carol Danvers, a.k.a., Captain Marvel, got supernatural powers after an alien ship explosion. Now she’s a tough-as-hell badass who talks smack and punches things very hard. In this first issue of her new series, Captain Marvel takes a job with an intergalactic defense force. Her first order of business? Punching asteroids. The writing by Fazekas and Butters (showrunners and writers for Marvel’s Agent Carter on ABC) is snappy, crisp, and playful. The art by Anka showcases characters of all different shapes and sizes, and shows them all as equally capable. And Wilson’s coloring takes a cue from Guardians of the Galaxy, with glowing neons contrasting against solid primaries. Captain Marvel #1 is firmly set in the sci-fi world, but it’s a great jumping-in point for new fans.

Created by Michel Fiffe.

Copra #1 originally debuted, in a very limited run, back in November 2012. Long available only through limited printings, the entire six-issue series is now available via Comixology’s wonderful Submit program, in which artists and creators submit their works for public consumption. Copra is a superhero comic about immediacy, and follows a bunch of super-powered vigilantes who work on a job-by-job basis. In the first issue, the group transports a head with a lightning bolt stuck in it… and all hell breaks loose. Copra is the fully realized, frenzied brainchild of Michel Fiffe, and the artwork feels like a mix of manga, Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol, and the best parts of Love and Rockets. This is a sprawling, chaotic, and messy comic that shows how high the medium can soar while staying true to strong surrealist roots.

Written by Zachary Clemente, art by Ricardo López Ortiz, lettering by Arielle Soutar.

Immolation #1 takes place in the dusty, red clay plateaus of some unknown world. A being of immense power talks about the price of success as they insert a crystal into their neck and rage out. This is a tight, taut little comic, and Clemente’s writing doesn’t wax poetic or waste any ink in the process. López Ortiz’s line work has a shaky brilliance to it, capturing a world as it quite literally comes apart at the seams. Without an obvious narrative thrust, the reader is left to contemplate the words on the page (few though they may be) and soak in the crimson hues. A stellar work from a strong indie team.

What were your favorite comics this week? Let us know @CreatorsProject or in the comments below!

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